Summer '22 Roundup
Fresh music showcasing with hastily put together write-ups is back
After a long summer cruising around the country twice, I’m back. Here’s what I’ve been listening to!
Sweet Company - Vicky Farewell
8 tracks, 27 minutes
Released: April 8th, 2022
From: Los Angeles, CA
Genres: R&B, Indie, Pop, Alternative
Recommended For Fans Of: Kali Uchis, Mac Demarco, Ginger Root, Homeshake
A recommendation from my old roommate Christian, Vicky Farewell’s debut album Sweet Company is a breezy collection of smooth R&B jams. Starting out as a pianist and songwriter naturally lead to her progressing into a fully fledged producer. Before launching into her own solo music, she was able to flex her chops and get producing experience working on records for artists like Mac Demarco, Anderson .Paak, and Mild High Club. Here, sweet retro synths and drum machines fill out the frequencies of these lush songs, but Vicky never does too much, knowing when to show restraint (an underrated quality in a producer). She credits the forced isolation of the pandemic with helping her find her voice to release music of her own. “I always knew deep down I’d become a solo artist, but honestly, I hated everything I made, so I shut that door for a decade and worked on other people’s projects, helping anywhere I was needed,” she told Mitch Mosk for Atwood Magazine. “When the pandemic hit, I reluctantly reopened that door, but this time with years of songwriting and production experience under my belt … one song after the next, it just came pouring out. I didn’t have a sound for the longest time, and finally in the midst of a global pandemic, I had found it.” That isolation was able to unlock a theme for the album, enjoying the company of oneself. Sweet Company is (as far as I can find) just the second release from Mac Demarco’s record label, Mac’s Record Label.
Standout Track: Kakashi (All of the Time)
There Will Be No Super-Slave - Ghais Guevara
15 tracks, 44 minutes
Released: July 16th, 2022
From: Philadelphia, PA
Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap, Experimental
Recommended For Fans Of: JPEGMAFIA, Denzel Curry, Chris Crack
Philadelphia’s Ghais Guevara is the latest niche sensation poised to break out from corners of the internet. The 21 year old is both “the reason your 14 year old won't shut up about Malcolm X” (Bandcamp bio) and “the only left wing rapper that doesn’t scare the hoes” (Spotify bio), and that just scratches the surface. Off the bat, it’s easy to suggest fans of JPEGMAFIA will enjoy this tape (and I’m not just saying that because of song titles like This Ski Mask Ain’t For COVID and I Personally Wouldn’t Have Released John McCain). There’s a distinct energy and explosiveness in Guevara’s ideas and delivery that brings me back to my first time hearing Veteran. There Will Be No Super-Slave is lined with movie clips, unique samples, PlayStation Home Screen music, Jersey Club, and much more. It’s truly a project you have to listen to in order to fully understand, and then listen to again. If you’re here now, you’re still early on the Guevara hype-train. This is already his third project, but he only started uploading music in December 2020 with his project May Ur Melanin Shield U From Ragnarok.
Standout Track: Face/Off
Hinges - Pretty Bitter
10 tracks, 46 minutes
Released: June 24th, 2022
From: Washington, D.C.
Genres: Indie Rock, Dream Pop
Recommended For Fans Of: The Naked And Famous, The Beths, The Joy Formidable
With a summer spent crushing opening sets along with the release of their first album since the rebrand, the DC band formerly known as ‘Nah’ has officially made their mark as Pretty Bitter. Mastering the delicate balance of pairing bright airy synths against heavy rock guitars, this album could have come out in the heydays of 2010 indie rock (which I mean in the best way possible). The five-piece band is powered by the cathartic lyrics and commanding vocals of front person Emelia Bleker. Hinges is what you get when you combine anthemic indie rock, electronic synths, and intricately layered production with earnest lyrics, feminist storytelling, and the courage to release a ten minute thirty seven second song in the streaming era. If you’re around the DMV, be sure to stay connected for their upcoming gigs, including an opening set at the 9:30 Club with Melt this Saturday.
Standout Track: The Damn Thing is Cursed
TURBO - Kelow LaTesha
7 tracks, 20 minutes
Released: August 19th, 2022
From: PG County, Maryland
Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap
Recommended For Fans Of: Rico Nasty, TiaCorine, Playboi Carti
A powerhouse name in the DC rap scene for years now, Kelow LaTesha came through at the end of summer with her best project to date, TURBO. While her sound and style has evolved over the years, she’s recently found a nice pocket of exciting sugar trap where she will slide in and out of ‘baby voice’ with artisan precision. She started really leaning into this with her 2020 project TSA, but now this time around there’s an absolute comfort in her raps that makes the sound feel perfected. That cocky and confident delivery helped earn her a nod into the inaugural class of ‘First on Soundcloud,’ a new yearly program for artists inspired by the XXL Freshman list, with the platform also investing in opportunities for the selected artists. Other members from this year’s nine-member class include KenTheMan (previously featured in DBA!), EKKSTACY, Isabella Lovestory, & Pote Baby. LaTesha’s unique flows and vocal inflections keep this seven track project fun and entertaining all the way through.
Standout Track: Genius
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Z1 - Zora
11 tracks, 34 minutes
Released: June 17th, 2022
From: Minneapolis, MN
Genres: Pop, Alternative, Hip-Hop
Recommended For Fans Of: Shamir, Chloe Hotline
Minneapolis artist Zora kicked off the summer back in June with the release of her self-produced debut album via the Queer/Trans artist run label Get Better Records. Z1 (check the cassette on her Bandcamp page for the long title) cruises through high points (Happiest I’ve Ever Been, All Around The World) and low points (Cliff, Endoftheroad) to paint a full portrait of the black trans artist. In doing so, she uses a full spectrum of genres, as songs on here encompass Pop, Hip-Hop/Rap, Rock, Alternative, Hyper Pop and more. She demonstrates the prowess of an artist with much more experience, which is technically the case despite this being her debut. “I’ve released projects and albums here and there before, but once I started transitioning [in 2019], I took everything down. So this is my official launch, as myself,” she told Annie Mok for Bandcamp Daily. Z1 introduces the world to Zora’s unique voice, one that you’ll surely want to keep coming back to.
Standout Track: HAPPIEST I’VE EVER BEEN (Feat. Myia Thornton)
The Second Death - Evil
6 tracks, 23 minutes
Released: August 26th, 2022
From: Washington, D.C.
Genres: Country, Alternative
Recommended For Fans Of: Orville Peck, Ethel Cain, Lana Del Rey, Alex G
The Second Death is the second EP from country artist Evil, who is DC based now, but was born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley. They told Chris Kelly for The Washington Post that their upbringing in, “a ‘very church-heavy’ South as a queer trans person,” helped shape the themes behind this six track project. Based on that, you might not expect the project to sound as pretty as it does. Most songs on here are suitable for a slow dance with a loved one (or even just someone you have complicated feelings about). Despite the hardships associated with a rural upbringing as a minority, it’s clear how much love they still has for their country roots. “When I think of my music, I just think about where it came from, and what has made me the person that I am,” Evil said. “It’s just about our experiences and how the places that we’ve lived and the people in those places have shaped us. … It’s really just about me expanding what we think a rural life can be.” In August, I got to attend the one time only live performance of this EP at Black Cat, the way it was intended to be heard. Part concert, part theatrical performance, it was like nothing I’d ever seen before. I could go on about how the show complimented the project’s themes of life, death, identity, and religion, while showing the transition of a beast into a saint, but I think it’s most important to note how the show represented the delicate care and infinite thought that Evil puts into every detail of their music and how it’s experienced.
Standout Track: Blood of the Lamb
mediopicky - mediopicky
15 tracks, 34 minutes
Released: June 30th, 2022
From: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Genres: Alternative, Reggaeton, Moombahton
Recommended For Fans Of: Arca, Bad Bunny
I’m struggling to find any better way to introduce mediopicky than he does himself with his Bandcamp bio: “I was borned, i learned to pruduce, and now you are dancing” (spelled just like that). The self-titled album is divided into two parts, both literally by interludes that announce the beginning of each side, and sonically as half one works more experimentally while half two plays it a bit more straight in its danceable reggaeton approach. Throughout part one, mediopicky throws everything he’s got at these songs with pop, electronic, latin pop, metal, industrial, rock, and more all making appearances. It’s impressive to hear him dance around all these influences in such a cohesive way, and I always love hearing artists take risks when experimenting with genre (especially when you get results as rewarding as he has here). The below linked track quien te llamo is probably the most extreme song of the project, but also the most exhilarating. Track 11 onward sees mediopicky pairing with Dominican producer Diego Raposo to deliver some more standard club ready songs. Anyone who wasn’t scared off the dance floor by the preceding tracks will have a blast getting down to these last few records (el retoce was a standout from this section). While my preference stands with part one, it’s impossible to deny that he’s got something for everyone here, and the whole thing is a worthwhile listen. I got tuned into this exciting project through Pitchfork’s list of 34 Great Records You May Have Missed: Spring/Summer 2022.
Standout Track: quien te llamo
Other Things Worth Hearing
I can’t imagine there’s a single person who wouldn’t have listened to Renaissance at this point, but if you haven’t yet, what are you waiting for?
One of my favorite songs this summer was one my friend Sophia showed me on a drive to San Francisco, Pereando y Llorando by Meth Math out of Hermosillo, Mexico. The title translates to ‘twerking and crying.’ It’s danceable, fun, sad, and mesmerizing all at once.
New albums from Steve Lacy, Rico Nasty, and Beabadoobee all got a lot of replay from me throughout July.
You already know about Indigo De Souza’s 2021 album Any Shape You Take from Zoë’s write-up and it’s placement on my end of year list. But it’s worth revisiting because I’ve found myself revisiting it a lot these last few months. Really a remarkable album.
Rob Apollo teased the hook of his new song Swag Addict a week before it dropped and it was stuck in my head that whole week. Been on repeat since the official release.
If you’re a fan of SZA I hope you’ve heard Gwen Bunn’s latest album PHASE. I was a fan of her last project (2018’s Safe Travels), but PHASE is a pretty obvious step up in pretty much every aspect.
Also spent a handful of days in August riding my bike around re-listening to Jean Dawson’s Pixel Bath, very excited for his upcoming album.
I mean just watch this
Summer ‘22 Notes
After seeing Lorde twice this summer, my disdain for Solar Power is waning slightly. It still doesn’t stack up to her first two albums, but I find myself coming back to certain songs a bit more than I was before seeing them live. I caught Covid (for the first time ever) when I first saw her in May and still went back to see her again in August.
The Raury comeback was strange? I guess after all the mystery around him disappearing into the woods for a while, I’d expect his comeback album to not be so…ordinary. But it was enjoyable at least, and 2020 Vision is a great song.
Seeing Despues De La Playa in a sold out National’s Stadium was one of the rowdiest live music experiences I’ll probably ever be a part of.
It’s too hot, everywhere in the country.
The Set II
Did my second DJ set every last month at DC9! My first one went down in January but ended up being a quarantine-heavy week of Omicron numbers spiking, and the same night as a massive snowstorm so turnout was..not great. This time around was a great redemption set.
I have a playlist here with the tracks from the set. It isn’t entirely the same experience, but it’s close.
THE SET II: APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY
My set also included the below songs that aren’t on streaming.
Marcellus Juvann -Boyz N Tha South
Young Thug - Danny Glover (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
If you missed it and wish you could have been there, book me!
Crisis: The Valuable Album?
Last year I did an extended feature on Berlin artist Valentin Hansen with The Album That’s Worth Nothing. Now a year later, he’s breathing new life into The Worthless Album through the power of Web3.
Admittedly I haven’t been invested in Web3 at all, but I saw how much care was put into the initial rollout of Crisis (The Worthless Album), and trust that Hansen would not put this much effort into something if it wasn’t entirely aligned with his vision and principles.
Good Reads
If you liked that above linked article on Crisis, or my piece for Pigeons and Planes on bot streaming from last year, you might also like to dive into the work of Liz Pelly as I did this summer. I was directed to her work while skimming through this reddit thread theorizing about Spotify creating AI music for streams (an interesting scroll in itself, but nothing more than guess work), and it lead me to some fascinating reads. Highlights include The Secret Lives Of Playlists examining who controls playlists and the songs that go on them, #Wrapped and Sold on the free advertising and metric-glorifying of Spotify Wrapped, and Streambait Pop looking at how Spotify became a genre of music.
Also: The Woman Who Built Grunge a longform article by Lisa Whittington-Hill on how hard some pioneering women have had to push for their proper credit.
Alumni Watch
A new little section I’m adding into newsletters to highlight news and fresh releases from artists who have already had projects written up in past newsletters
BLACKSTARKIDS (featured in the inaugural 8/11/20 newsletter!) are gearing up to release their upcoming mixtape CYBERKISS* with their latest single SEX APPEAL. Excited is an understatement.
Thanya Iyer’s debut album was featured in that same newsletter, and she just followed that up with her new EP Rest, which continues those themes, but seeks to answer the question, “who am I when it all stops?”
Paris Williams (interviewed 10/20/20) has been dropping singles in anticipation for his next project with the bop Chunky and music video for Hopscotch.
Bktherula (featured 11/09/20) dropped a scene stealing feature on the new Rico Nasty album with Vaderz.
Haich Ber Na (featured 3/03/21) dropped a new EP called When We Knew Less, featuring some production from beabadoobee collaborator Jacob Bugden.
Cosima (also featured 3/03/21) dropped a sweet little EP called What Kind Of Summer Are You Having Without Me? The whole thing is worth a listen at just 3 songs, but Somebody has been the track keeping my attention the most.
Mamii (featured 4/28/21) got a big co-sign with two features on the new Westside Boogie album, NONCHALANT and SOMETHIN STRANGE.
Emily Blue (featured 2/02/22) has rebranded as OTNES, announcing the new name along with promises of, “a special project coming up that fills me with gender euphoria and joy.”
DAISY (featured 11/03/21) is breaking up. You can catch their final shows as a band on Sept. 17th in NYC and Sept. 30th in LA.
Exum (featured 6/23/21) dropped one of my favorite projects of last year, and he just followed it up with the more alt-pop leaning Tickle Pink Hotel. The direction shift caught me off guard at first, but I found myself digging it more and more as it went on, the last three songs especially hammer it home. Also don’t miss the video for III. Love Me.
Formatting notes that may only concern myself
‘What I’ve Been Listening To’ posts have been retired. Initially I enjoyed having a format and a schedule to stick to that would let readers know what to expect, but it ended up growing more into a chokehold I put myself. It was easy to keep up with when I started the blog during 2020 while unemployed (lol), but as my work and personal life picked back up, I found myself straining to meet these arbitrary requirements I laid out for myself, staying up late to hit deadlines no one was really checking for outside of my own head.
From now on, the ‘regularly scheduled programming’ of DBA will be roundup posts like this, publishing on a (roughly) monthly basis. This one is a bit longer than most others will be, as it covers a longer time period. I think this new format will give me more freedom to really focus on music, artists, and topics that I want to highlight at an easier pace. I’m hoping this will also give me more time as well to focus on additional posts like interviews, features, and more. Those were a big part of the blog’s first two years that I feel I’ve slacked off on in 2022.
For the rest of the year at least I’ll still update the ‘What I’ve Been Listening To’ Playlist with songs from these roundup posts, before starting a new playlist for next year.
APPLE M
If you’re still reading and keeping up with Death By Algorithm after the many pauses, shake ups, and hiatuses, thank you. Running a blog by yourself is a strange effort that feels pointless most of the time. But ultimately I’ve always enjoyed doing it and sharing music I love, so I hope you enjoy reading it.